Antique decorative faience plates, Napoleon motifs, 5 pcs. — Boch Frères, late 19th century (6687)

Antique decorative faience plates with Napoleon motifs, 5 pcs. — Boch Frères La Louvière, Belgium, late 19th century (6687)

This historically and artistically fascinating set of five antique faience plates (antique military plates) is an exceptional and entirely unique collector’s item of military history. Each plate is adorned with its own detailed and high-quality black and white transferware (transferware) scene, depicting the military campaigns and decisive moments of the most famous battles of the legendary Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. The set includes historical scenes such as Bonaparte’s heroism at the Bridge of Arcole (Bonaparte à Arcole, 1796), the Battle of Jena (Bataille d’Iéna, 1806), the Battle of Somosierra (Bataille du Somo-Siepro, 1808), the death of Marshal Lannes (Mort du Maréchal Lannes, 1809), and the Combat of Benhout (Combat de Benhout, 1799). The wide borders of the plates are lavishly decorated with elements characteristic of the Empire style – the imperial initial “N” in a laurel wreath, compositions of military weapons, armour, and flags as trophies, interspersed with fine geometric bands. The base of the plates features the original, clearly legible black underglaze stamp of the Belgian royal manufactory Boch Frères, La Louvière, Made in Belgium, as well as a green impressed factory mark.

DIMENSIONS:

• Width (diameter): 23.5 cm

MANUFACTURING PERIOD, ARTISTIC STYLE, ERA Made around 1880–1895, in Belgium. These items were created during the late Historicism (Empire style revival) period and reflect the great nostalgia and interest in the power and cult of heroism of Napoleon I’s empire characteristic of the early Belle Époque. In the late 19th century, such thematic story series were extremely popular in the homes of European intellectuals and military officers – serving both as exquisite decorative elements for salons and as subjects for intelligent conversation after dinner.

A Belle Époque snapshot: Gustave Lannes slowly turned towards the window… through which the tops of the Tuileries Garden trees could be seen in the Parisian morning haze. In the half-light of the room, on the massive oak table, the cool morning air slowly illuminated the bands of the small, round objects, where the black and white engraved patterns seemed to be almost dynamically in motion. His fingers lightly brushed over the smooth surface, where the initials surrounded by laurel wreaths and the clatter of horseshoes in the din of battle held the memory of his grandfather, the Marshal’s, last fight and the brilliance of the lost empire. This cool and precisely executed circle of art brought into the room a silent but majestic past grandeur, creating an ineffable, deep sense of self-respect and remembrance.

MANUFACTURER AND MARK The plates were crafted by one of Europe’s most famous and prestigious ceramic manufactories – Boch Frères, founded in 1841 in La Louvière (La Louvière), Belgium. This manufactory gained worldwide fame precisely for its high-class faience and exceptional precision in transferring military and historical scenes onto ceramics, receiving numerous awards at international exhibitions.

RARITY AND SIGNIFICANCE Finding a complete, undivided, and well-preserved series of 5 thematic plates from a single collection is an extreme rarity. As such thematic plates usually become dispersed over time as individual pieces or are lost, a complete set with five different historical scenes represents a serious and growing value for any collector of antiques, military heritage, and history.

APPLICATION IN INTERIORS, DESIGN, AND PHOTOGRAPHY The set is ideally suited for display on a wall in a study, library, or gentleman’s lounge, as well as for placement on special stands in a historical sideboard or on a mantelpiece. The black and white, graphic aesthetic combined with the expressive Empire design fits perfectly into both classic and modern minimalist interiors as a historically powerful accent. Thanks to the high detail of the designs, the plates are exceptionally suitable for photography and interior design photoshoots.

CONDITION The plates are in excellent antique condition – all five items are completely intact, without cracks, chips, or signs of restoration. The faience and its glaze have retained excellent shine and clarity, with only minimal, natural crazing on the reverse, fully consistent with age, which only confirms their authenticity. The condition of the item is fully reflected in the photographs.